This study aimed to assess the effect of a Ward colorectal tumour, and irinotecan + 5-fluorouracil after 1- or 2-cycles in rats fed a diet with or without fish oil (FO), on the amount and types of fatty acids in rat skeletal muscle. Upon chemotherapy initiation, rats remained on control diet or began FO diet. Gastrocnemius muscles were isolated before tumour implantation, before chemotherapy, and after 1- and 2-cycles. Triglyceride (TG) and phospholipid (PL) fatty acids (FAs) were extracted, separated, and quantified. Compared to healthy rats, tumour-bearing rats exhibited higher TG-FA content. After 1-cycle, FO-fed rats exhibited lower TG-FA content compared to tumour-bearing rats. Compared to control-feeding, FO-feeding resulted in lower TG-FA after both 1- and 2-cycles. N-3 FA content in muscle TG-FA and PL-FA was higher in FO group compared to control-fed. This study suggests that FO fed during chemotherapy may attenuate tumour- and chemotherapy-associated skeletal muscle TG-FA infiltration.

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